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HENRICO COUNTY, Va. β The 3rd Annual Florence Neal Cooper Smith 5K Walk for Sickle Cell brought together community members at Dorey Park on Saturday to raise awareness and funds for sickle cell disease research.
The disease affects more than 100,000 Americans, with Virginia facing particularly high rates among African American communities. In Virginia, 1 in 325 African Americans have the disease, while 1 in 12 carry the trait.
Wesley Crews' son, Paul, died from sickle cell disease when he was 38. His mother said she now attends the event for multiple reasons.
"Keep [Paul] present in our life, so we're going to come out every year and we're going to support him and the fund," she explained.
Crews said Paul experienced his first "crisis" at just six months old. That was the first time he was hospitalized.
"It's very important, as a single parent growing up with a son with sickle cell, the time that we spent in the hospital," Crews said. "The support that we had from the hospital and family members, whatever I can do to give back, is what I am going to do."
Crews acknowledged that dealing with the disease for more than three decades has "been a lot," which is why she says the 5k walk "means so much."
The event aimed to support efforts to find a cure by funding research and benefiting a groundbreaking research professorship named in honor of Florence Neal Cooper Smith, who has dedicated her life to advocating for people living with the disease.
Jennifer Newlin, a physician assistant at the Children's Hospital of Richmond, said the walk served multiple purposes beyond fundraising.
"I think that helps build just community and some unity, and I think we could all use that. I think they might learn something if they came and got to hear some you know, our patients speak, and it would be awesome just to support this wonderful cause," Newlin said.
CBS 6 "This Morning" anchor Reba Hollingsworth returned as the event's emcee.
Over the years, the event has raised more than $600,000 for the MCV Foundation to support research and treatment.
Click here to learn more or donate to help find a cure.
WATCH: Virginia man diagnosed with sickle cell at birth participates in 'revolutionary' gene addition trial
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